Neighbor: Stop noise at Market Basket protests

Monday

Aug 4, 2014 at 4:45 PMAug 4, 2014 at 4:52 PM

PORTSMOUTH — Kristine Wade said she supports the picketing Market Basket workers and has boycotted the grocery store across the street from her Woodbury Avenue home. But after 14 days of hearing the honking horns of supportive motorists, she said, “It really is affecting my mental health.”

Elizabeth Dinan

PORTSMOUTH — Kristine Wade said she supports the picketing Market Basket workers and has boycotted the grocery store across the street from her Woodbury Avenue home. But after 14 days of hearing the honking horns of supportive motorists, she said, “It really is affecting my mental health.”

“By Saturday, the honking was so much we couldn’t take it anymore,” said Wade. “What if I played loud music for two weeks?”

Across the street, a Market Basket employee held a sign reading, “Honk for ATD,” urging drivers to hit their horns in support of ousted Market Basket CEO Arthur T. DeMoulas. Many did, some sounding their horns for extended periods of time.

A Portsmouth High School teacher, Wade said she’s taking two classes this summer and has been working on them with the windows closed to muffle the sound of vehicle horns that start in the early morning and last until about 9 p.m.

“My sister went over and talked to the protesters and got into a (bickering) match,” she said. “Their freedom of speech is affecting my mental health.”

Wade’s mother, Pat Katkin, runs a day-care center at the same home and said she had 3- and 4-year-olds say, “enough already” about the horn honking. Katkin said she supports Market Basket and its workers but said she’s had a headache for two weeks.

A few doors down, Barbara Erickson said she also supports Market Basket workers and said the picketers have kept their protests between the hours of 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. She said multiple sclerosis keeps her in the house most of the time so she’s “a good witness” to report that most of the passing drivers do honk their horns.

“So it’s a long haul,” she said. “The air conditioning numbs it a little, but now it’s become part of my day.”

Wade said she’s called the police twice, once on Saturday and again on Monday, and has been told that there’s “nothing they can do” because it’s not the protesters honking the horns and they’re on private property.

Wade said she called Market Basket headquarters but had no luck with them either.

Erickson said she recalls when Simplex workers picketed in the area many years ago and recalled that it went on for over a year.

Wade said she hopes the Market Basket labor dispute ends soon.

“People tell me to go to the beach,” she said. “But why do I have to leave my place?”

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